Penetrating oil composition



2,758,088 PENETRATING OIL COMPOSITION Jelirey H. Bartlett, Westfield,Delmer L. Cottle, Highland Park, and Hugh C. De Hotf, Roselle Park, N.J., assignors to Esso Research and Engineering Company, a corporation ofDelaware No Drawing. Application December 30, 1953, Serial No. 401,438

8 Claims. (Cl. 252-45) This invention relates to improved penetratingoils. Particularly, the invention relates to lubricating oilcompositions having improved penetrating power. More particularly, theinvention relates to lubricating oil compositions containing combinedtherein a minor, but penetrating power improving amount, of the acetalsor thioacetals of alcohols or mercaptans.

In the manufacture of lubricating oils, process oils, metal workingcompositions, and cutting oils, it is frequently desirable to enhancetheir natural penetrating ability and the closely related ability tospread over a large surface. It has been found that unblendedhydrocarbon oils and fatty oils differ considerably in this respect,even though they have substantially the same viscosity at thetemperature of the test. It has been found also that the addition ofcertain materials to such oils, even in relatively small amounts,greatly increases their ability to spread over a wide area and topenetrate small crevices.

For instance, U. S. Patent 2,263,265, which issued November 18, 1941,discloses that esters of carbonic acid, whether short or long chainesters, are very eifective and possess to a marked degree the propertyof improving the penetrating and spreading power of oils.

It has now been found, and forms the object of this invention, that theacetals and thio-acetals of alcohols or mercaptans, also have theability to considerably enhance the natural penetrating power oflubricating oils.

The acetals and thio-acetals which have been found to possess thisproperty of enhancing the penetrating power of lubricating oils arepreferably the acetals and mercaptals of branched chain alcohols andaldehydes. For example, the acetals of the Oxo alcohols and acetalshaving from 4 to about 18 carbon atoms are especially desirable. r

The materials contemplated for use in preparing the penetrating oils ofthis invention may be described by the following formula:

Alcohols Aldehydes Butyl alcohol Butyraldehyde Octyl alcohol OctaldehydeIsooctyl alcohol Isooetaldehyde Deeyl alcohol Decaldehyde Isodecylalcohol Isodecaldehyde Tridecyl alcohol Tridecaldehyde Isotridecylalcohol Isotrldecaldehyde 0x0 alcohols CH3 0x0 aldehydes 0 8 Aldolalcohols 04-1: Aldol aldehydes 0 Guerbet alcohols nited States PatentOflice a thermometer.

Patented Aug. 7, 1956 The corresponding mercaptans of the above alcoholsmay also be used. Especially preferred are the alcohols and aldehydeshaving from 813 carbon atoms each.

The compounds of this invention are quite simply made by process knownto the art. An example of one method of preparation is as follows:

688 (4 mols) gm. of C10 OX0 alcohol and 256 gms. (2 mols) Cs Oxoaldehyde, 2 grams of toluene sulfonic acid and 300 cc. of benzol werecharged to a 3 liter 4- necked flask equipped with a water trap,condenser, and The mixture was refluxed for 3% hours during which time36 cc. of water was collected. The resulting mixture was washed 2 timeswith 5% NaOH and 3 times with water, then dried with potassiumcarbonate. It was filtered, the benzol evaporated on a steam bath, anddistilled in a short path still. At .3 mm. Hg 610 gms. of product wasobtained boiling between 150 and 158 C.

Mercaptans may be substituted for the alcohols in the above detailedprocedure.

The acetals and mercaptals described above may be blended in any of thecommonly used lubricating oils, whether naturally occurring or syntheticand improve the penetrating power of such oils. It has been found thatthe penetrating qualities of the lubricating oil bases are by thespreading rate, or the time required to penetrate a standard sinteredcup, or a series of sintered cups. This rate of penetration isconsidered significant when such equipment as rusty bolts, nuts, hinges,and farm machinery are being lubricated. Increased penetrating power isalso desirable in other more general lubricating problems, such as theoiling of springs on automobiles, trucks, wagons, and the like.

Examples of the instant invention are tabulated below. The time requiredfor the first drop of the penetrating composition to pass through aseries of four sintered cups is used as an indication of penetratingability.

Base stocks for penetrating oils are desirably aromatic because of thegreater penetrating properties of aromatic compounds. The components ofpreferable base stocks are described below:

Base A.-Mixture of hydrocarbons containing at least 95% aromaticmonocyclic compounds. Among the compounds are trimethyl benzene, propylbenzene, etc. Boiling point 310 to 345 F.

Base B.-An aromatic extract from virgin kerosene containingapproximately aromatics. Boiling point 300 to 530 F.

Base C.Fraction from cycle gas stock obtained from catalytic crackingunits. It has approximately 80% aromatics and a boiling point of 380 to500 F.

Base D.Light neutral oil distillate from naphthenic crude. It has aviscosity at 210 F. of 37 SUS.

In accordance with the concept of the instant invention a series ofblends were prepared by admixing 3.0 volume percent of various acetalsand mercaptals as described above with 97.0 volume percent of a basestock which was composed of 40.0 volume percent of base A, 30.0 volumepercent of base C, and 30.0 volume percent of base D. The blends werethen submitted to the lsotridecyl mereaptan used in the nicreaptal wasobtained from isogdleeyl alcohol which had been produced from UOl"012010011 by oxona- It will be noted that the acetals and mercaptalsmarkedly improve the penetrating power of the base stock blend.

In a second series of experiments a base stock blend of 40.0 volumepercent of base B, 30.0 volume percent of base C and 30.0 volume percentof base D was used. Various acetals prepared in accordance with theabove description were blended with this base stock and the standardpenetration test performed. Data on this series of experiments arerecorded in Table 11 below.

1 Nonyl aldehyde obtained by oxonation of diisobutylene.

2 Isooctyl alcohol and 0x0 aldehyde derived from propylene-butylenecodimer by oxonation.

3 Isodeeyl alcohol used in the acetal was obtained by oxouation oftripropylene.

The data reported above will show the marked improvement in penetratingpower obtained by the compositions in accordance with this invention.

To summarize briefly, the instant invention relates to improvedpenetrating oils which comprise a blend of a hydrocarbon oil, preferablyan aromatic base stock with from 1.0 to 5.0% by volume of a materialformula:

wherein R is an aliphatic radical derived from an aldehyde andcontaining from 4 to 18 carbon atoms, preferably 7-12 carbon atoms,wherein R is an alkyl radical derived from an alcohol or a mercaptan andcontaining from 4 to 18 carbon atoms, preferably 7-12 carbon atoms, andwherein X is oxygen or sulfur.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved penetrating oil which comprises a mineral oil base stockcontaining combined therein a minor amount, sufiicient to improve thepenetrating power thereof, of a material having the formula: RCH(XR)2Wherein R and R are alkyl radicals having from 4 to 18 carbon atoms andwherein X is selected from the class of oxygen and sulfur.

2. An improved penetrating oil which comprises a mineral oil base st'ockcontaining combined therein a minor amount, but sufiicient to improvethe penetrating power thereof, of an acetal of the formula: RCH(OR)wherein R and R are alkyl radicals containing from 4 to 18 carbon atoms.

3. An improved penetrating oil composition which comprises a mineral oilbase stock containing combined therein a minor amount, but suflicient toimprove the penetrating power thereof of a material of the formula:RCH(SR')2. wherein R and R are alkyl radicals containing from 4 to 18carbon atoms.

4. A penetrating oil composition according to claim 1 wherein R and Rcontain from 7 to 12 carbon atoms each.

5. An improved penetrating oil composition which comprises a highlyaromatic mineral oil base stock containing combined therein from 1.0% to5.0% by volume, based on the volume of the total composition, of amaterial of the formula: RCH(XR') wherein R and R are alkyl radicalscontaining from 7 to 12 carbon atoms and wherein X is selected from thegroup of oxygen and sulfur.

6. An improved penetrating oil composition according to claim 5 whereinX is oxygen.

7. An improved penetrating oil composition according to claim 5 whereinX is sulfur.

8. An improved penetrating oil composition which comprises a blend ofhighly aromatic mineral oil basis containing combined therein from 2.0to 4.0 vol. percent, based on the volume of the total composition of thedi-nbutyl acetal of nonyl aldehyde.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,321,593 Gresham June 15, 1943 2,446,944 Morgan Aug. 10, 1948 2,448,093Gittings Aug. 31, 1948 2,512,771 Glavis June 27, 1950 2,668,862 PriceFeb. 9, 1954

1. AN IMPROVEMENT PENETRATING OIL WHICH COMPRISES A MINERAL OIL BASESTOCK CONTAINING COMBINED THEREIN A MINORAMOUNT, SUFFICIENT TO IMPROVETHE PENETRATING POWER THEREOF, OF A MATERIAL HAVVING THE FORMULA:RCH(XR'')2 WHEREIN R AND R'' ARE ALKYL RADICALS HAVING FROM 4 TO 18CARBON ATOMS AND WHEREIN X IS SELECTED FROM THE CLASS OF OXYGEN ANDSULFUR.